{"id":"mkt-sale-subject-lines","audience":"marketing","category":"brainstorming","technique":"constraints","title":"Brainstorm sale subject lines that fit on a phone screen","free":false,"task":"You're writing subject lines for Larkspur Home's linen sale email, and phones cut off anything over 40 characters. You need exactly 5 numbered subject lines, each under 40 characters (about 6 words), with no emojis and no words in ALL CAPS. Use the final offer details, not the ones from the first draft of the brief. Reply with only the plain-text list, no intro or notes. Write a prompt that gets that list.","materialLabel":"Email brief (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"LARKSPUR HOME - Linen sale email brief (draft 1, Oct 28)\n\nSend date: Thursday, Nov 13, 7am\nList: past customers who bought bedding in the last 2 years (about 41,000 people)\n\nThe offer:\n- 30% off all linen bedding: duvet covers, sheet sets, pillowcases\n- Free shipping on every order\n- Runs Nov 13 to Nov 16\n\nWhy now: our stonewashed linen colors for winter (Fog, Clay and Moss) just came in. Linen gets softer with every wash.\n\nWhat worked before: last spring's best subject line was \"Your sheets called. They want linen.\" (31% open rate). Our worst was \"HUGE LINEN SALE - DON'T MISS OUT!!!\" (14%).\n\nIdeas from the kickoff:\n- Lean into \"softer every wash\"\n- Maybe mention cold nights / winter\n- Someone suggested a bed emoji, not sure\n\n---\nUPDATE from Ines (merchandising), Nov 3:\nFinance signed off on 25% off, not 30%. And free shipping is NOT part of this sale. It ended with the October promo. The sale is linen bedding only, not towels or curtains. Dates stay Nov 13-16.","rules":[{"type":"numberedItems","count":5},{"type":"plainText"}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Asking for \"some subject lines\"","why":"The AI gives 10 to 15 options, often grouped under bold headings like \"Urgency\" and \"Playful\".","fix":"Set the count: \"Exactly 5 numbered subject lines, plain text.\"","checks":["numberedItems","plainText"]},{"title":"Not giving a length limit","why":"AI writes full-sentence subject lines that get cut off on a phone halfway through the offer.","fix":"Add: \"Each subject line 3 to 6 words, under 40 characters.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Using the first draft's offer","why":"The brief starts with 30% off and free shipping, and AI grabs the biggest numbers it sees.","fix":"Add: \"Use Ines's Nov 3 update: 25% off, no free shipping.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Letting it shout","why":"Sale emails pull the AI toward emojis, CAPS and an intro like \"Here are some options\".","fix":"Add: \"No emojis, no ALL CAPS words. Output only the list.\"","checks":["r2"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Says how many","patterns":["\\b(5|five)\\b.{0,25}(subject|lines|options)","exactly \\d+"]},{"label":"Sets a length limit","patterns":["\\d+\\s*char","\\d+\\s*words","short"]},{"label":"Uses the updated offer","patterns":["25","update","free shipping","nov(ember)? 3","ines"]},{"label":"Rules out emojis and caps","patterns":["emoji","caps","capital"]},{"label":"Asks for only the list","patterns":["only the (numbered )?list","no (intro|notes|explanation)","nothing else","plain text"]}],"hint":"AI brainstorms long, loud subject lines with whatever offer it reads first. Give it a count, a length, the offer that's actually final, and what to leave out.","rubricLabels":["Every subject line is under 40 characters, including spaces (roughly 6 words or fewer)","Uses the final offer: no subject line says 30% or mentions free shipping, and any discount mentioned is 25%","Contains no emojis and no words in ALL CAPS, and the reply is only the numbered list with no intro line, headings or notes"]}